Drying means for garment pressing machines



July 29, 1947. N. MQN'SARRAT 2,424,623

DRYING MEANS FOR GARMENT PRESSING MACHINES Filed Aug. 17, 1944 s Sheets-Sheet 1 u- N 2 mm 8 um 8. a! u 3. 3 o v n ovQ WWW on. o. o! aw I mmvmk.

lrrweysx July 29, 1947. MONSARRAT 2,424,623

DRYING MEQNS FOR GARMENT PRESSING MACHINES Filed Aug. 17, 1944 s Sheets-She et 2 56.4 32 36 98 34. F 5 94 E) c sz usv FIG. 3

INVENTOR.

July 29, 1947. N. MONSARRAT DRYING MEANS FOR GARMENT PRESSING MACHINES Filed Aug. 17, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented July 29, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DRYING MEANS FOR GARMENT PRESSING MACHINES Application August 17, 1944, SerialNo. 549,868

11 Claims.

My invention relates to drying means for garment pressing machines more particularly for the purpose of removing moisture from a pressing element thereof, such as the stationary buck, drawn from the garment being pressed, which is present in greater value where steam ejectors are employed for creating the vacuum to removethe moisture from the garment.

The disposal of exhaust steam from pressing machine elements, such as bucks has longbeen a problem in the pressing machine art. If the exhaust is discharged directly into a laundry or tailor shop, condensed moisture will drip over the floor and the exhaust steam escaping in the room is hazardous to the'press operators. Attempts have been made in the prior art to prevent the escape of live steam and condensed moisture; For this purpose individual condensers have been attached to the exhaust line of the machines. These have usually comprised 50-gal1on hot water tanks which have taken up a lot of room and have been noisy and not particularly eflicient Where a plurality of presses have been employed, it has :been usual to employa central vacuum system and a special valve on each pressing machine in the line leading to said system with a suitable exhauster for the central system.

The desirability of providing a single vacuumproducer for each garment pressing machine has long been known. Five factors, however, have in the past militated against the success of such devices, namely, (1) cost of installation, (2) cost of operation, (3) excessive noise produced thereby, (4) wear on any motor and switch to provide the necessary constant starts and stops, and'(5) time lag necessary after the motor has been started to produce an effective vacuum to exhaust the moisture. Objects of my invention are, therefore, to provide an individual drying means for each garment pressing machine which will overcome, insofar as practical, all of these prior art disadvantages.

An object of my invention, therefore, is to provide a simple, relatively cheap unit of small compass for this purpose which may be mounted directly on a pressing machine, at much less'initial cost than the large water collectors formerly thought necessary.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device which is cheaper to operate than any prior art device. It has been found too expensive to have a device in which an electric motor runs all of the time and it has also been found too expensive to start and stop the motor on each actuation of the machine due to the excessive amount of power required in starting the motor each time, which constant starting and stopping also causes the motor and switch to rapidly wear out.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device which will not wear out the motor and switch from constant starting and stopping.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device which in most instances is already to produce a vacuum at once on the depression of the foot pedal.

By a careful time study of pressing machine actuation, it has been discovered that in small tailoring establishments the press is in operation but a fraction of the total Working day and that during these intervals of operation of the press, the vacuum producing means is frequently unused for intervals greater than two minutes but when used, is used repeatedly at no greater than two minute intervals. To save the constant startings of the motor and to provide a device in which the vacuum will be constantly built up ready for immediate effective operation for the successive uses of the press as desired during these intervals of operation, I have provided a timing means effective to maintain the functioning of the vacuum creating means for a predetermined time interval usually of about said heretofore described two minutes so that when the operator again desires to exhaust the machine, a sufficient vacuum will be always present to immediately exhaust it without any time lag necessary to build up a vacuum.

A further object of my invention relates to the specific construction of the vacuum creating means I specifically employ which preferably comprises a turbo-exhauster resiliently mounted on the end of the exhaust line so that the axis of the drive shaft thereof will substantially coincide with the axis ofthe exhaust line so that said turbo exhauster may freely find its own center of gyration for the purpose of eliminating noise and vibration in the vacuum creating means.

To further eliminate noise in addition to elimihating noise and vibration in the vacuum producer, I preferably provide a discharge duct from said vacuum creating means and provide mufiler means at the discharge end thereof.

A further object of my invention is to provide improved means for removing liquid condensate from the exhaust line. In the prior art where turbo exhausters have been used, they have usually been mounted on a horizontal axis transversely across said discharge duct which has been mounted in a horizontal plane and discharges into a collector, and in the event that the collector should become too full, the back wash has discharged upwardly in the discharge duct into the path of the rotating turbo blades and has had a tendency to damage them. With my improved structure, as stated, I preferably mount the turbo exhauster on a vertical axis and tilt the discharge duct from said turbo exhauster so that any condensate will continually run away therefrom. I then detachably secure a relatively small liquid condensate collector to said discharge duct and provide an open mufiler at the end of the discharge duct below the plane of rotation of the turbo extractor so that excess condensate will flow out through the open mufiler end rather than back up into the path of the turbo exhauster blades to injure them.

A further object of my invention relates to improvements in structural details of parts thereof including the structure of the valve and valve operating means I preferably employ. A further object of my invention is to provide broadly in a device including motor means to create a flow of fluid through a conduit and a valve for said conduit, of means to conjointly actuate said valve and start the functioning of said flow creating means, and timing means effective to maintain the functioning of said flow creating means for a predetermined time interval, said starting means being efiective to initiate the functioning of said timing means for said time interval and, preferably, also to reactuate said valve on each reactuation thereof.

These and such other objects of my invention as may hereinafter appear will be best understood from a description of an embodiment thereof such as is shown in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a garment pressing machine equipped with my invention.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the garment pressing machine shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged end elevation showing the various parts of my invention attached to the exhaust line of the pressing machine shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary rear elevation illustrating the lower end of the exhaust line, a portion of the turbo-exhauster, the tilted discharge duct therefor having a muiiler at the end thereof and a liquid condensate connector connected thereto and the motor for actuating said exhauster.

Figs. 5, 6, and '7 are detailed fragmentary elevational views showing a portion of the exhaust line,

the valve therefor, the switch box for actuating the motor for the turbo-exhauster and its switch arm, the switch arm shut-01f rod, and the timer connected thereto, the timer being shown in section, Fig. 5 showing the parts in operative position with the exhaust line valve and switch closed, Fig. 6 showing the same parts after the pedal operating lever has been actuated to open the valve and lower the switch arm shut-oil" rod to open the switch and load the timer, and Fig. '7 showing the parts in the position they assume when the operating lever has been released to close the valve and with the timer functioning to delay the action of the switch arm shut-off rod.

In the drawings, wherein like characters of ref erence indicate like parts throughout, 10 generally indicates a garment pressing machine. Said pressing machine includes the usual frame l2 on which the stationary pressing buck I4 is rigidly mounted and the movable pressing head l6, which may be moved to and from the pressing position, in contact with said buck [4 in any suitable manner such as by the pivotally mounted pressing lever l8 actuated by suitable means (not shown) on the depression of the foot pedal 20.

In the pressing of garments, it has been customary to provide an exhaust line 22 leading from said buck and desirable as stated hitherto to provide means to create a flow of fluid through said exhaust line 22 to remove moisture from said buck l4. My invention includes the provision of a valve 24, means to conjointly actuate said valve 24 and start the functioning of said flow creating means and timing means 26 effective to maintain the functioning of said flow creating means for a predetermined time interval, said starting means being efiective to initiate the functioning of said timing means 26 for said time interval and, if desired, reactuate said valve 24 on each reactuation of said starting means. While I have shown the aforedescribed combination as attached to the exhaust line from the pressing buck of a garment pressing machine, it is obvious that it may function in similar manner in any device having a motor actuated fluid flow through a conduit, if desired.

While any suitable type of motor means, pump or otherwise, to create a flow of fluid through a conduit may be employed to create the flow by suction or impelling, in the preferred embodiment shown, I have provided means 28 to create a vacuum in said exhaust line 22 to remove moisture from the buck. In my preferred embodiment said means preferably comprises the turboexhauster 28. I also preferably employ an electric motor 30 to actuate said vacuum creating means 28 and a circuit 32 for carrying electric current to said electric motor 30 having a switch 34 therein controlled by the switch arm 36. I provide manually operated means 40 for actuating said valve 24 and switch arm 36 to start operation of said electric motor 30 to actuate said vacuum creating means preferably so constructed as to be operative to shut oil said valve 24 on release of manual actuation. I provide means such as the vertically reciprocable switch arm shut-oil rod 42 for shutting oir said switch arm 36 and time controlled means 26 for delaying the effective operation of said switch arm shut-off rod initiated in its action by the release of said manually operated means 40. It is apparent that with this construction that each reactuation of said manually operated means 40 will be effective to initiate the functioning of the timer means 26 for the desired time interval.

In the preferred embodiment shown, said afore described means are preferably specifically constructed as follows: The exhaust line 22 depends vertically from said pressing buck l4 and the vacuum producing means 28 which preferably comprises a rotary turbo-exhauster 28 having turbine blades 29 i mounted on the lower end thereof. In the preferred embodiment shown, in order that the liquid condensate may at all times discharge downwardly from said turbo-exhauster, I provide a downwardly tilted discharge duct 44 leading from the turbo-exhauster casing 46 and to substantially eliminate the creation of noise I mount suitable muffler means 48 at the discharge end of said tilted discharge duct 44. Any suitable type of mufiler means 48 may be employed but in the embodiment shown I have constructed said mufiier means as follows:

The discharge duct 44 per se is offset downwardly from the periphery of the rotating turbine 28 and is wrapped around the lower end of the casing 46 in scroll formation with a decreasing radius and the casing wall is spaced a slight radial distance beyond the periphery of the turbine 28 and shaped so as to guide the spaced impulses from between its blades 20 arcuately downwardly into the surrounding duct 44. Thisdownwardly deflection of the impulses tends to merge and cushion the impulses. The muffler 48 comprises a fan-like extension 48 having a flattened, narrow mouth 49 which tends to discharge the impulses in modulated crescent shaped waves'therethrough which, due to their crescent shape, tend to diffuse without noise into the atmosphere. I also provide a preferably replaceable, relatively small liquid condensate collector such as the threaded jar 5E! detachably securable to a suitable threaded projection 52 therefor depending from the outer end of the discharge duct 44-.

As stated, I preferably provide an electric motor 30 to actuate said turbo-exhauster 28. In the preferred embodiment shown said turbo-exhauster 28 and motor 36 have a common shaft 54. In order that said common shaft or a single independent shaft for said turbo-exhauster may readily find its own center of gyration, I preferably provide resilient means 56 to mount said turboexhauster 28, said mufiler 48, said collector 50, and motor 30 on the lower end 58 of said exhaust line 22 preferably so that said common shaft 54 may extend along the axis of said exhaust line. While any suitable type of resilient means may be employed for this purpose, I preferably employ a rubber sleeve 56 which is mounted over the lower end 58 of the exhaust line and over a cooperating cylindrical extension 60 from the turbo-exhauster casing 46 and secured thereto by the circular clamps 62.

Any suitable type of means may be employed to admit steam to the buck I4 such as the steam inlet pipe 64 shown, having an inlet valve 66 which may be suitably actuated by the foot pedal 68 which actuates the vertical link I which in turn tilts the horizontal pivoted lever I2 which actuates the vertically extending link I4 to actuate the steam inlet valve 66.

While any suitable type of a valve 24 may be employed for said exhaust line 22, I preferably employ the butterfly valve 24' shown. Said butterflyvalve 24 is pivotally mounted on the pivot ears 16 projecting diametrically therefrom into suitable holes I8 therefor in said exhaust line 22. I provide an actuating lever of the first class 86 for said butterfly valve rigidly mounted on an extension "I6 of one of said pivot ears I6 exterior of said line 22 having a power arm 82 having spaced opening and closing arms 84 and 86 respectively projecting therefrom and a work arm 88 extending obliquely upwardly therefrom. I provide the spring means such as the coil spring 90 connecting said work arm 88 to a fixed point 92 on the exterior of said exhaust line 22 to move said valve 24 to closed position shown in Fig. or to the open position shown in Fig. 6 after the point of connection of said spring 90 to said work arm 88 has passed a dead center above said pivot I6.

While the improved switch 34 having a switch arm 36 and the timer 26 may be suitably mounted on the machine in any suitable manner, I preferably construct and mount them on said machine as follows:

I provide the two spaced supports 94 and 96 having the respective holes 98 and I00 therein projecting laterally in the same directionfrom said exhaust line 22. The switch box 34 for the motor circuit 32 is mounted on the lower support 94' and theswitcnshut-off rod 42 is vertically reciprocal in the holes 98 and I00 in said respective lower and upper supports 94 and 96. Said switch arm shut-off rod 42 is provided with the spaced switch arm actuating studs I64 and I66 projecting therefrom above and below said switch arm 36 to vertically actuate said switch arm, the upper stud I64 being effective as an opening stud to open the switch arm 36 on the downward movement of the rod 42, and the lower stud I06 being a closing or shut oif stud to close said switch arm 36 on the upward movement of the switch arm shut-off rod 42. Said rod 42 is also provided With actuating projection I08 for the actuating lever for the valve in the preferred embodiment, comprising an actuating disk I08 mounted on said rod; 42 substantially opposite said valve 24. To provide means to normally urge said rod 42 to an upper position during which the closing stud I06 functions to close the switch 36, I suitably mount an abutment such as the washer M0 on the upper end of the rod 42 and I interpose the expansible coil spring means II2 between said upper support 96 and said abutment IIO.

As stated, I provide timer means for delaying the time duration of the upward movement of said switch arm shut-off rod 42 caused by said spring II2. Any suitable type of timer means may be employed for this purpose. The timer means shown in my preferred embodiment is preferably constructed as follows and is of a characteristic dashpot type: Said timer 26 includes the air cylinder I I4 having the open upper end rigidly secured to the lower surface of the lower support 94 so as to be concentric with the switch arm shut-off rod 42. Said cylinder IE4 contains the lower end II! of said switch arm shut-off rod 42. Said cylinder H4 is provided with an adjustable inlet needle valve I I6 threadedly adjustable in the extension II8 therefor projecting downwardly from the lower end of said cylinder I I4, by means of axial movement of the valve II6 caused by rotary movement thereof on its threaded connection to the extension IIB, to limit the size of the orifice I20 leading from the exterior of said projection I I8 to the interior of said cylinder H4. The upper end of the cylinder H4 is provided with the outlet port H9. The piston I2I is mounted on the lower end I I! of said Il'Od 42 to be vertically reciprocal in said cylinder The piston I2I is provided with a check valve I22 openable to discharge air therethrough as shown in Fig. 6 and out through said discharge port II9 on the downward stroke of the rod 42. Said check valve I22 may be conveniently constructed as follows: A cylindrical cap I24 is interposed between the outer cylinder wall I I4 and at a leakage distance from the outer periphery of said piston I2I and has the radially inturned upper end I26 spaced from said rod 42 a sufficient distance to provide leakage therethrough, said piston I2I being also spaced from the outer wall of said cylindrical cap I24 a leakage distance. The cylindrical cap I24 is normally urged downwardly against said piston I2I by a coil spring I30 interposed between the upper end wall I26 of said cap and a washer I32 fixedly mounted on said rod 42. When the rod 42 is urged downwardly in the manner described, air leaks inwardly through the inlet duct I20 upwardly between the outer periphery of the piston I2I and inner periphery of the cylindrical cap I24 and also between the inner periphery of the top wall I26 of said cap and said rod 42- to be discharged outwardly through said discharge duct II9 as shown in Fig, 6. It is obvious however that said check valve remains closed on the upward travel of said piston and rod when said device functions as a timer as shown in Fig. 7, the upward speed of the shut-oil switch arm actuating 42 being a'djustably regulated by the amount of air admitted to the cylinder I I4 through the adjustable orifice I20.

I also provide a common pivotally mounted operating lever I34 for said valve actuating lever 30 and shut-off switch .arm actuating rod 42 pivotally mounted on said exhaust line as at I36 having a work arm I38 adapted to abut and depress said disk or projection I I18 on said switch arm shut-off rod 42 to cause the closing stud I04 mounted thereon to depress said switch arm 36 to close said switch and a pin I4I projecting laterally therefrom adapted to abut the opening arm 84 of the valve actuating lever 80 to urge said valve 24 past its dead center so that the spring 90 may pivot it rapidly to an open position as shown in Fig. 6. Said lever I34 is also provided with a power arm I40. A link I42 connects the power arm I40 of said operating lever to the work arm I44 of the foot pedal I46 pivotally mounted on the frame I2 as at I48. Said manually actuated means to tilt said lever I34, comprising the foot pedal I 46 and link I42, is preferably of such a weight as to be normally urged to a closed position tending to tilt the work arm I38 of said operating lever upwardly to abut the valve closing arm 85 of said valve to tilt said exhaust line valve 24 past dead center so that the spring 90 may urge it to a closed position and to move the end I38 of the work arm thereof away from the projection I I18 on said switch arm operating rod 42 to start the functioning of said timer 26 to limit the time duration of upward travel of said switch arm shut-ofi rod on release of Pressure on the foot pedal I46 of said manually actuated means, as shown in Fig. '7. It is apparent that any suitable type of manually actuated means other than the operating lever I34 and the foot pedal I46 may be employed. If it be desired to vary the time duration of upward movement of said rod 42 and hence timer 26, it is apparent that the effective area of the inlet I20 may be varied by movement of the Valve IIB.

It is apparent that I have provided a novel type of drying means for garment pressing machines with the advantages described above.

It is understood that my invention is not limited to the specific embodiment shown and that various deviations may be made therefrom without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a pressing machine, a pressing buck, an exhaust line from said buck, means to create a vacuum in said exhaust line to remove moisture from said buck, downwardly tilted discharge duct means from said vacuum creating means having a liquid condensate collector connected thereto, an electric motor to actuate said vacuum creating means, a circuit for carrying electric current to said electric motor having a switch therein, a valve for said exhaust line, manually operated means for actuating said valve and switch to start operation of said electric motor to actuate said vacuum creating means operative to shut off valve on release of manual actuation, means for shutting oif said switch and time controlled means for delaying the effective operation of said switch shut-01f means initiated in its action by release of said manually operated means.

2. In a pressing machine, a pressing buck, an exhaust line from said buck, means to create a vacuum in said exhaust line to remove moisture from said buck, an electric motor to actuate said vacuum creating means, a circuit for carrying electric current to said electric motor having a switch therein, a valve for said exhaust line, manually operated means for actuating said valve and switch to start operation of said electric motor to actuate said vacuum creating means, means for shutting off said switch and adjustable time controlled means for delaying the eifective opera tion of said switch shut-01f means.

3. In a pressing machine, a pressing buck, an exhaust line from said buck, means to create a vacuum in said exhaust line to remove moisture from said buck, an electric motor to actuate said vacuum creating means, a circuit for carrying electric current to said electric motor having a switch therein, a valve for said exhaust line, an actuating lever for said valve mounted exterior of said line having spaced opening and closing arms projecting from the power arm thereof, and a work arm extending obliquely therefrom, spring means connecting said work arm to a fixed point to move said valve to closed or open position after it has passed a dead center, manually operated means for actuating said actuating lever and switch to start operation of said electric motor to actuate said vacuum creating means operative to shut ofi said valve on release of manual actuation, means for shutting off said switch and time controlled means for delaying the efiective operation of said switch shut-off means initiated in its action by release of said manually operated means.

4. In a pressing machine, a pressing buck, an exhaust line from said buck, means to create a vacuum in said exhaust line to remove moisture from said buck, an electric motor to actuate said vacuum creating means, a circuit for carrying electric current to said electric motor having a switch therein, a valve for said exhaust line. means for shutting off said switch and time controlled means for delaying the effective operation of said switch shut-off means, a common pivotally mounted operating lever for said valve and shut-off switch, and manually actuating means to tilt said operating lever normally urged to a closed position tending to tilt said exhaust line valve to a closed position and to start the functioning of said time controlled means fordelaying the time duration of functioning of said switch shut-off means, on release of operating pressure on said manually actuating means.

5. In a pressing machine, a pressing buck, an exhaust line from said buck, a turbo-exhauster, an electric motor for actuating said turbo-exhauster, resilient means to mount said turbo exhauster on the end of said exhaust line so that said turbo-exhauster shaft may extend along the axis of said exhaust line, a circuit for carrying electric current to said electric motor having a switch therein, a valve for said exhaust line, manually operated means for actuating said valve and switch to start operation of said electric motor to actuate said turbo-exhauster operative to shut oil said valve on release of manual actuation, means for shutting off said switch and time controlled means for delaying the effective operation of said switch shut-off means initiated in its action by release of said manually operated means.

6. In a pressing machine, a pressing buck, an exhaust line depending vertically from said buck, a turbo-exhauster and an electric motor for actuating said turbo-exhauster having a common shaft, a downwardly tilted discharge duct leading from said turbo-exhauster having mufiler means at the discharge end thereof and a liquid condensate collector depending therefrom, resilient means to mount said turbo-exhauster, muffler, collector and motor on the end of said exhaust line so that said common shaft may extend alon the axis of said exhaust line, a circuit for carrying electric current to said electric motor having a switch therein, a valve for said exhaust line, manually operated means for actuating said valve and switch to start operation of said electric motor to actuate said turbo-exhauster operative to shut off said valve on release of manual actuation, means for shutting off said switch and time controlled means for delaying the effective operation of said switch shut-off means initiated in its action by release of said manually operated means.

7. In combination, a conduit, motor means to create a flow of fluid through said conduit, a valve for said conduit, means to conjointly actuate said :valve and start the functioning of said flow creating means and timing means effective to maintain the functioning of said flow creating means for a predetermined time interval, said starting means being effective to initiate the functioning of said timing means for said time interval on each reactuation thereof.

8. In combination, a conduit, motor means to create a flow of fluid through said conduit, a valve for said conduit, means to conjointly actuate said valve and start the functioning of said flow creating means and timing means effective to maintain the functioning of said flow creating means for a predetermined time interval, said starting means being effective to initiate the functioning of said timing means for said time interval and reactuate said valve on each reactuation thereof.

9. In a garment pressing machine, a pressing buck, an exhaust line from said buck, motor means to create a flow of fluid through said exhaust line to remove moisture from said buck, a valve for said exhaust line, means to conjointly actuate said valve and start the functioning of said flow creating means and timing means effective to maintain the functioning of said flow creating means for a predetermined time interval,

said starting means being effective to initiate the functioning of said. timing means for said time interval on each reactuation thereof.

10. In a garment pressing machine, a pressing buck, an exhaust line from said buck, motor means to create a flow of fluid through said exhaust line to remove moisture from said buck, a valve for said exhaust line, means to conjointly actuate said valve and start the functioning of said flow creating means and timing means effective to maintain the functioning of said flow creating means for a predetermined time interval, said starting means being effective to initiate the functioning of said timing means for said time interval and reactuate said valve on each reactuation thereof.

11. In a garment pressing machine, a pressing buck, an exhaust line from said buck, motor means to create a flow of fluid through said exhaust line to remove moisture from said buck, a valve for said exhaust line, means to actuate said valve, means to start the functioning of said flow creating means and timing means effective to maintain the functioning of said flow creating means for a predetermined time interval, said starting means being effective to initiate the functioning of said timing means for said time interval on each reactuation thereof.

NICHOLAS MONSARRAT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

